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So I've come to the conclusion that my headaches, ear popping, transient ear whooshing, and tinnitus since March have been the result of a neck strain that I likely sustained in January and aggravated in February. Earlier this month, I decided to get an MRI of the soft tissue of my neck. I had already obtained an MRI of my brain, a CT of my paranasal sinuses, and a CTA of the head and neck. A few days after the MRI (with contrast), I developed a dulling of my sensations of pain, pressure, vibration, and soft touch all throughout my body. This included areas in my face, gums, neck, and extended to my arms and my legs. Rest assured I was very distressed.

Now the interesting part is that my ear popping, ear whooshing, headaches, and tinnitus vanished. I immediately saw a GP, neurologist, and infectious disease doctor. The neurologist performed a nerve conduction study of which I am still awaiting the results. The GP and the ID didn't think there was much going on. I got a Lyme test (for the third time this year) which turned out to be negative, as I expected. As happy as I was to have vanished T, it was not worth losing my sensation of pain. What I mean by a dulled sensation of pain is that I could sit in an awkward position for long stretches of time without feeling the compulsion to wiggle around or change my position slightly to relax any tensed up muscles. Additionally, residual pains I had sustained from past sports injuries just magically disappeared.

I had a few theories as to what could be causing this neuropathy: contrast dye from MRI, viral infection, spinal cord injury, amongst others. What it turned out to be was a B12 deficiency. For the months of August and September I had switched from drinking soy milk to almond milk, as I was testing the effect of soy on any hidden inflammation I suspected I might have. Interestingly enough, what I didn't realize was that while the soy milk I usually drink is fortified with B12, while the almond milk I had switched to had none. I had also slacked on taking a multivitamin for those two months as well. BTW I eat a vegan diet so no B12 from any food source.

Fast forward a week later I have been taking mega doses of sublingual B12, namely methylcobalamine. Methylcobalamine is the bioavailable form of B12 that gets immediately used in the metabolic pathways, as opposed to cyanocobalamin (which is the most common form found in supplements). Upon further research, I had found out that B12 is partly responsible for proper nerve function, specifically with regard to the production of the myelin sheath on the axons of nerve cells.

The good news is that I have regained my sensory functions for the most part. Today I woke up with all sorts of pains because I haven't been sleeping in the right position and I didn't feel the pain that would have compelled me to wiggle around. The bad news is that my T has come back. What I have learned is that my T is almost certainly nerve related (my guess is the vagus nerve in my neck) and that "dulling" the nerve sensation process by depleting B12 can eliminate my tinnitus. This past week has been very troubling for me as I would rather have a mild form of T than have a dulled sensation of touch. So any treatment that involves numbing of the nerves is inherently risky. I'm afraid this is part of what makes tinnitus such an annoying medical anomaly.

A very interesting post and thanks for sharing your experimenting with us.
I suspect my T maybe related to neck related nerves as well. I was having pretty serious neck pain and impingement in my neck when I contract T. I am a avid bicyclist as in racing bike style which isn't friendly to the neck. I have slacked off on my riding as an experiment. My neck is much better but can't say as my T is. My T ranges between medium or pretty raging at times to mild and unobtrusive. It almost never vanishes since contracted this past April.

I will share a quasi theory about tinnitus and hyperacusis. Many have this relationship...tinnitus and a hyper sensitivity to sound. Loud trucks, setting a plate down on a granite counter etc. To me, this is in effect what tinnitus is. It is said that everybody has noise in their audio track...even those with so called normal hearing. But with tinnitus suffers, typical noise is magnified...like the gain of an amplifier is turned way up...which is basically what hyperacusis is. So in my armchair opinion is, they are related.

A question please. I haven't experimented going off a multiple vitamin. I have taken a multivitamin ever since I can remember. I'm a bit of a health nut and exercise freak. I also happen to drink Silk brand Soy Milk...with cereal and Whey protein shakes etc. Can you talk a bit more about Soy Milk causing inflammation in the body?...and a potential linkage to tinnitus? I think this maybe the next thing I try...going off Soy Milk. Do you believe directionally Almond milk is better? Do you think there maybe any veracity on going off my multiple vitamin to see if affects my tinnitus level? I was also on a supplemental B complex vitamin that I went off of. I was worried about B complex toxicity. I was also on Omega 3 and I went off of that as well. I just don't find a solid relationship between this and my tinnitus level.